Here Is an Example of One Countyʼs Natural Resource Policy
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
STATE OF MONTANA RAVALLI COUNTY Page: 1 of 31 DOCUMENT: 660941 RESOLUTION RECORDED: 11/26/201212:59 REGINA PL.ETTE&RG CLERK AND RECORd: FEE: $0.00 BY: 1"?' ck" rlt ({ << t RESOLUTION NO. 2978 RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE RAVALLI COUNTY NATURAL RESOURCE USE POLICY WHEREAS, the Ravalli County Board of Commissioners on April 26'h, 2012, received and had a public meeting on a draft proposal from a citizen group requesting the county to review and adopt a Natural Resource Plan; and WHEREAS, the Ravalli County Board of Commissioners held ten more public meetings on the th th th th draft ~lan on May 24th and 29 , July 23'd, August 6 and 20 , September 17'h, October 1st, 15 & 29' , aud;November 8'h and, based on the document and amendments to the document, voted 4-0 to adopt the plan. WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners are the elected representatives of the citizens of Ravalli County; and WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the people of Ravalli County for the Board of County Commissioners to have a plan to manage the natural resources on Government managed land in Ravalli County; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners hereby adopts Resolution Number 2978 establishing the Ravalli County Natural Resource Use Plan. Suzy Foss, f/n man dK--kr--~/ J.R. Iman, Member ~~MeU:r ~ A<''''~<MClerk & R co er ~,~ 660941 • Page: 2 of 31 BITTERROOT VALLEY NATURAL RESOURCE USE POLICY en en Q ....co BITTERROOT VALLEY NATURAL RESOURCE USE POLICY ..... CONTENTS 1 !I! w o INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 3 w RAVALLI COUNTy ............................................................................................................................... .4 -..... CUSTOM AND CULTURE ...................................................................................................................... 5 ECONOMICS ............................................................................................................................................ 6 CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES AND PRIVATE PROPERTY ........................................................ 7 PRIMARY PLANNING GUIDELINES ................................................................................................... 8 INTRODUCTION - WATER AND HYDROLOGY ................................................................................ 8 AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGA nON ..................................................................................................... 9 LIVESTOCK GRAZING .......................................................................................................................... 9 FOREST MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 10 ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................ 11 ROADS AND TRAILS: ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION ........................................................... II THREATENED. ENDANGERED. AND SENSITIVE SPECIES ......................................................... 13 REFUGES & WETLANDS PROTECTION AREAS ............................................................................. 14 WILDLIFE ............................................................................................................................................... 14 FISHERIES .............................................................................................................................................. 15 ANIMAL CONTROL. ............................................................................................................................. 15 LAW ENFORCEMENT .......................................................................................................................... 15 THE CONTINUING PROCESS ............................................................................................................. 16 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................ 17 APPENDICIES ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Appendix A. Water and Hydrology .................................................................................................... 19 Appendix B. Forest Management ....................................................................................................... 21 Fire-Fuels Management ............................................................. ,........................................... ,.... ,.... 21 Appendix C. Mineral Resources .............................................................. ,.......................................... 22 Appendix D. Roads and Trails: Access and Transportation ............................................................... 23 Appendix E. Recreation ........................... ,.................. ,...................... ,........... ,............ ,.. ,...... ,............. 26 Appendix F. Fisheries ............... ,.............. ,.......................................... ,............................................... 28 Fire-related Impacts ........................... ,.......... ,... ,.................... ,..... ,.................................................. 28 Existing Fisheries Management ..................................................................................................... ,.29 Appendix G. Animal Control ....................................................................... ,... ,............ ,..................... 29 INTRODUCTION I BITTERROOT VALLEY NATURAL RESOURCE USE POLICY INTRODUCTION Ravalli County is a general powers county (7-5-2101 MCA) and, as such, is a political subdivision of the State of Montana, having corporate powers and exercising the sovereignty of the State of Montana within its boundaries, as provided in the Montana Constitution, those powers specified by statute and those necessarily implied there from. Only the Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners (hereinafter referred to as the "Board") can exercise the powers of the County by agents and officers acting under the authority of the Board. The Board serves as the chief elected authority of the County government and is charged by law with performing all duties necessary to the full discharge of these specified and implied executive duties. The Board is charged with governing Ravalli County in the best interest of all its citizens. The Board is aware that one goal of the County's citizens, and therefore its government, has been the continuation of a lifestyle which assures quiet enjoyment of private property rights and property interests and assures the highest degree of protection of these rights. Property rights and interests are important to the people who live and work in Ravalli County. Many people who live in the County are reliant on the land and its productive use. Private land ownership and incentive provided by private ownership is a driving force that supports the livelihood of many Ravalli County citizens. Federal and state-managed lands make up approximately 76% of the area of Ravalli County. Moreover, the County's economy is deeply affected and impacted by changes on federal, state, and private lands. State and federal agencies are charged by law governing state and federal lands inside Ravalli County's political boundary, to be managed in the best interest of all citizens. Local, state and federal planning decisions may create benefits for a great many state and national citizens outside the county, but may transfer a disproportionate amount of the costs and responsibilities to local communities and citizens. These decisions must consider impacts to Ravalli County's economy, custom, culture, and historic uses of both public and private property. The Board believes that the American concept of "government of the people, by the people and for the people" is best served when government affairs are conducted as close to the people as possible (i.e. at the county level). The Board is charged to carry out its specified and inherent duties to operate the government of Ravalli County in the best interests of all its citizens and to protect and preserve the County's tax base. The Board finds it desirable to address the use and management of resources within the political jurisdiction of the County in its comprehensive planning efforts. The Board believes the use and management of public lands has substantial and significant impact on the economic stability of the County. The Board is, therefore, legitimately interested in full participation in the planning process utilized by appropriate agencies for determining and implementing land use plans and other actions in Ravalli County. The Board's interest extends to land use plans or action formulation, development, and implementation (which include monitoring and evaluation). It is the intent of Ravalli County government to protect the custom and culture of County citizens through a variety of actions. It is the policy of Ravalli County to invoke coordination with any and all appropriate agencies at the beginning of the scoping process and throughout the process for all areas of natural resource management and use. Federal and state laws require federal and state agencies to coordinate with local government and consider the